


One more time

by UngarnMoc



Category: Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Decisions, F/M, Life is hard, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Spoilers, and Unfair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 13:31:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16409366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UngarnMoc/pseuds/UngarnMoc
Summary: Major Shadow of the Tomb raider spoilers, like it is all about it's ending.Time to be selfish a bit.





	One more time

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, dear readers :) So I recently finished the Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the ending kept bugging me, like I really could write something about it, changing some details. So after a week of agonizing, I did it :) Very spoilers, much ending of the game, please mind that.
> 
> Sadly still not fluent in English and have no beta reader, so sorry for any mistakes.

Myths were still capable to amuse her. As the big final picture slowly came together piece by piece, as the Moon devoured the Sun, Lara indeed felt like they are heading toward the end of the world.

What started to be another silly apocalypse-story became the harsh reality and that frightened her. But fear never stopped her.

That determination pushed her on her path forward, that determination forced her to take another step then another toward the leader of the Yaaxil, chanting and then slowly looked at Lara’s approaching figure. She was… glorious, intimating yes, but also noble. Her red paintings, her jewellery, her fine, muscled body were all fascinating…. and her ruined mouth, her strength and deep, monster-like voice made her tremble a bit from fear. It indeed felt like being next to a god.

How she can be Ix Chel, compared to Chak Chel? How she will pass the test of the temptation? She wasn’t anything like the Crimson Fire or Unuratu.

But Lara kept going, kept pushing just like before. Accepted the headdress, even if her hands were shaking lightly, even if she had no idea what will happen with a monster-God at her side, even if she didn’t know if she was strong enough to remove the shadow.

It wasn’t the fighting she was scared of. Not even when Lara thought about the fight with Dominguez. Faced soldiers before and walked away alive. Not fine, but alive.

She was afraid of herself. Of her weaknesses. Of her test what was waiting for her. She was afraid of failing.

By the time she reached the temple, Dominguez had already started the ritual. The dagger in his hand glow with golden light and looked like it was heating to its melting point – doing just the same with the man who was holding it. Defeating his personal guards wasn’t a difficult task to do. But Dominguez didn’t give up that easily.

He truly was determined and with the supernatural powers, was a fine match. But he wasn’t Lara’s first nor last supernatural enemy and neither her first kill.

When she pounced at him, the man grabbed her neck and his fingers curled around it with iron force, blocking the air’s way to her lungs. Choking, she reached for the glowing dagger, but before she could get it between his ribs, he simply threw her away like a ragdoll. Hitting the stone-made ground hard, Lara grunted, felt the blood’s iron taste in her mouth. No, this was not the end yet. She had a task to finish. She needed to restore the Sun.

_“Up! NOW!”_

Her muscles followed her own inner order, standing up slowly and looked at her enemy, ready to continue what they started. He will lay death at her legs.

A weird noise hit her ear, looking down at the dagger. It pulsed, light came out of it, like a flare and then… made her hand glow. It didn’t cause any pain so Lara didn’t worry about it. Not yet, there was no time to worry.

She needed to stab him three times to finally kill him, almost dying herself twice in the process. And the glowing slowly reached her elbow in the meantime…

As she gently laid Dominguez down on the ground, she was still capable of feel sorry for him. After all, he did what he thought will be the best for his city, he wanted to protect Paititi. He didn’t see any better solution. Maybe he was too narrow minded, but he wasn’t _evil_.

“I’m sorry.” She did, she truly did. If only he would listen to Unuratu or to her it wouldn’t end like this.

Reaching for her hand, she accepted it, being there for him in his last moments. But he also gave her the dagger.

“Protect Paititi … Please. Please Lara.”

She wasn’t sure she can, but she had to try.

“I will.”

When he let out his last breath, the dagger came to life: it’s light flooded over her like an unstoppable force, making her skin glow and her gasping for air. The pain. Oh the pain….

* * *

Everything was so white.

_“Why I cannot see anything?”_

Everything was so bright.

_“Where am I?”_

Then the laughing reached her. It was a child and a man, having fun. Lara followed the voices until she saw… herself. Her 9 years old shelf. There was her father as well, playing with her. And… and…her… mother?

Yes, that woman must be her mother. She was just like Lara remembered to her. Faintly, but she still remembered.

They were in the garden of the manor having a decent family time. Her mother painting, little Lara is playing and her father joined to her. It was sweet. It was everything Lara ever wanted. If only she could have this…

A thought formed in her brain, emerged from deep down, tempting her, like a soft whisper in her ear: she could have this all. She could recreate the world and getting back her family and her life would be different! All the people she loves would be alive, her father, her mother, Roth, Grim… Jacob…

“Lara.”

Her name came behind her and almost made her heart stop. That voice…. she heard it such a long time ago…

Slowly turned around, feared he won’t be there, only the emptiness. But when she dared to look at the place where he supposed to stand, there he was, just like Lara remembered him. Deep, ever knowing blue eyes, a gentle small smile, warm voice and the very familiar blue jacket and all the remnant clothes. He was there, truly there.

“Jacob…” gasped and she ran, ran to him, right between his open arms, hugging him close, never wanting to let him go. He was all around her, he wasn’t a dream, not this time, no, this time Lara truly felt his scent, felt his strong arms around her waist, felt his heart _beating_.

“I missed you.” He told her and she only moaned as an answer. She missed him to, deeply. This wound was still fresh and painful for her.

After some moments he gently pushed her away, looking at her face, smiling, caressing her cheek. Tears started to prickle her eyes; put her hands onto his chest. Now she was sure she wanted this, all this, her family and Jacob back in her life. She deserved happiness too. Fuck the world and the apocalypse, it was time for her to have a moment of peace…

“Don’t go down on that path, Lara.” he told her on his gentle, calm voice “You know what you need to do.”

Her grip tightened in his coat, hands fisted into the blue material. “What if I don’t want to do it? What if I don’t care anymore?”

He scoffed a bit, smiling, not believing her words. “Then you wouldn’t be you anymore. Then everything what makes you, this strong and smart woman, everything I love in you would be gone. And that would be such a loss, Lara.”

“But I cannot take it anymore Jacob… I keep saving the world over and over and I still lose more and more each time. I don’t know who I am anymore… or what I am.”

He chuckled and she gently laid her head onto his chest. “You are very special. You didn’t need me to guide you, you never did – always followed your own path and even if you experienced great losses you never lost your faith. You know who you are. You know what you have to do.” His lips gently met with her skin as he kissed her forehead “Just once more. One last time. I promise.”

Lara sighed shakily, feeling the crying is choking her, but she needed to stay strong. Gently pushed herself away and took a step back – Jacob let her, that knowing small smile was on his lips. Looked down on the dagger – almost forgot she still held it in her hand – remembered to everything what she learned on this road.

Looked at her family, discussing where they should go on a holiday, feeling Jacob’s presence behind her, Lara made her decision.

“Goodbye Mom. Goodbye Dad.” Looked back at him just to see him for another moment – then turned away from him and walked into the white fog, where she came from.

As she made her steady, but hardest steps she ever did in her entire life, heard his voice as clearly as he was standing next to her.

“We will meet again.” 

* * *

 

When she opened her eyes, Lara stood next to the altar and Chak Chel walked to her. She was… waiting for something. Waiting for her to do something.

_“When the catastrophes come, the God Kukulkan must be sacrificed to power the Sun. Otherwise the world dies.”_

“Sacrifice a God?”

There were two Gods here now. Lara gave the dagger to Chak Chel – as she took away from her and gave her the headdress, Lara understood: Chak Chel wasn’t the one who will be sacrificed. Unuratu told her before, now she remembered.

Chak Chel was waiting, motioned toward the altar. Lara as calm as ever put on the head piece, her crown in death and let the Crimson Fire guide her. No screams. No running away. This was the right thing to do, this was her duty now.

_“We will meet again.”_

Did Jacob mean this soon?

The last thing Lara saw was the red Goddess raising the dagger above her head, ready to cut it into her heart. She didn’t want to see that, the last moments when her blood will pour from her heart. Closed her eyes and thought about her family and the man she loved. She will be with them soon.

But the last thing she felt was the burning fire filling her – and saw as the Sun slowly comes alive.

It was her duty now. And she fulfilled it.

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed to smuggle Jacob into this :D Like seriously :D It is clear one of Lara's biggest pain is loosing her mother so soon and dad also so soon. But as a Lara/Jacob shipper her second biggest pain is loosing Jacob, so of course he needed to be there as the part of the temptation - his mere presence is a temptation. But he would never-ever suggest to Lara to fail the world in need and gave her some moral guidance, just a little reminder to help her see her path clearly. It will be a painful decision for her, yes, but this is the good decision.


End file.
